[pct-l] Ultralight as a must?

Boris Trgovcich btrgovcich at yahoo.com
Sun Sep 30 19:19:10 CDT 2012


Stefan,

My suggestion is to pack it up with about 6-7 days worth of food and try it out for a few days.  There is something to be said about a 20-lb pack.  You will glide up and down the trail more easily and less pain.  However, there are also advantages to carrying few extra pounds for additional comfort at the camp.  I switched from the Thermarest z-lite to the 3/4-inch inflatable Pro-plus, and for about 8-oz additional weight, I had an incredibly more comfortable sleep at night. I like to eat and enjoy a large pot of soup at night and something hot in the morning. That means extra fuel but for me it is worth it.

I prepare my own soups and store them in Zip Lock bags.  Food co-ops have a variety of dehydrated bean, lentils and pea soups that you can buy in bulk and mix and spice to your taste at home (you can also add ramen noodles  or mashed potatoes or anything else that you may think of to it).  At the camp just add  water and boil for about a minute.  In my opinion, much tastier and cheaper than the freeze-dried stuff.

A significant amount of weight can be saved by carrying as little water as possible.  I rarely carry more than a liter but I have never filtered or chemically treated my drinking water. I have literally drank from 200-300 sources between the Mexican border and Oregon.  And I have never gotten sick.I have met few other people like that and the did not report getting sick either.  Just stay away from water sources where there is evidence of cow or horse manure. But you will have to make a decision about filtering in accordance with your personal comfort level.

  I just hiked a 1000-mile section from Kennedy Meadows to Ashland and (in a relatively dry year) there was plenty of good water every few miles. There were only a handful of sections where water was not available in less than 10 miles. I carry a cup clipped to my pack so I can scoop those small trickles of water from a spring that would otherwise be difficult to collect in a regular water bottle. In general, I found that there was much more good water available than the guide books mention. In Northern Ca in particular, there were many great cold springs along the way that my guide book did not mention.  

I have an Osprey Atmos and my pack averages about 35 lbs (5-6 days of food). I carry a Big Agnes Fly Creek 2 tent (2.5 lbs) which I rarely really needed but with just the screen up it makes sleeping easier when one is not interrupted by pesky bugs during the night.  I am 58 years old, fairly new at this and I covered 1000 miles in 50 days (lost about 15 lbs during the trip).  My bottom line advice is that you can to whatever to set your mind to (as long as you are free of injuries).  About 80 % of it is mental and the rest is physical. I would not worry about the UL-thing, do what you feel comfortable with.

Good luck,

Overdrive




________________________________
 From: Stefan Rinnert <stefanrinnert at googlemail.com>
To: Pct-L at backcountry.net 
Sent: Saturday, September 29, 2012 2:48 AM
Subject: [pct-l] Ultralight as a must?
 
Dear all,

somehow we are a bit confused about the gear we are planning to take with
me for the pct-hike. we thought we had found the "right way" for us, but
this UL-thing keeps coming back into our minds. we'll hike as a couple and
therefore are able to share some weight/gear. beside our packs (osprey
aether 70 and ariel 65, each 4 - 4,5 lbs; both packs that fit our expected
needs, and our tent which weighs little less than 4 lbs) we try to keep the
total gear weight very low and aim to reach a total of round about 14-18
lbs excluding pack (empty), food and water. since the PCT-community in
germany is from non existing to not so big, we feel somehow helpless and
intimidated by this "ultralite monstrum". Beyond, we cannot assess the
impact of weight+ total distance.
alltogether, the chosen gear might be a result of cautiuosness: tent as
protection against insects, snakes and the "heavy" backpack due to health
considerations even though we`re 24&26 and fit :)

we're thankful for suggestions, comments and experiences!

regards,

stefan
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